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Monday, February 11, 2008

Poppa's Hands

Finn really got a kick out of Poppa's gloves on Sunday. It was really cute.





Poppa kinda looks like he's going to eat Finn in this one. He gets a little crazy-eyed when they play real hard. :)

Friday, February 8, 2008

Little Monkey Acrobatics

Finn climbs on EVERYTHING now.





Intruder Alert

Last night we had quite a scare.

I was McNabb/Cicerello Manor until about 10, and got home about 11. Tom finished up his zombie blog post, and we were sitting on the couch zoning out to some tube for a few minutes before bed. It must have been 1130 or 12, when I heard a thumping noise on the front of the house below the picture window. I asked Tom to pause the TV, but it was quiet. Convinced I heard something, I opened the front door to look around (I expected a critter) and Tom went to the dining room windows to look outside.

We were shocked to see two police cars and about six cops on foot WITH THEIR GUNS OUT walking all around our home and neighbors' homes too. As one of them headed for the driveway I went down to turn on the outside lights and ask what was going on, but as I opened the door, he yelled at me to get in the house and lock the door. The gravity of the situation hit me, and I got really scared. He was going to check the 3 season room. I also realized I was that IDIOT who goes outside when shit is going down with the cops and shouldn't have. My dad would have been so mad at me! We then went all through the house locking the windows, turning off lights, and shutting the shades. I even locked the two windows next to the picture window.

We then warned Pretzel, and sat in the dining room watching the goings on outside with shallow breaths. Then, we heard the noise again, and the cops yelled, ''He's running, there he is!" AND HE RAN OUT FROM BETWEEN OUR BUSHES AND OUR HOUSE-- directly underneath where we were standing. Tom grabbed me and pulled me to the floor and yelled, 'GET DOWN!' I know it sounds all dramatic, but remember guns were drawn. My heart was beating so fast! They all ran off after him (we didn't get a good look at him), and we stared in disbelief out our windows after them.

We have large bushes over 6 feet high in places in front of our house but there is about a 2 foot gap between them and the house, so there is plenty of room to walk through. We've wanted to tear them out since we moved in, but always had too many projects inside the house to work on. Looks like that will be happening in early spring!!!!

It was really hard for me to calm down and go to sleep after that, and I was still quite scared, so I called the Police Station's non-emergency number. The man said the suspect was apprehended, but would give no more info. Nothing makes you feel more helpless than being afraid with no resources. That and I get really upset because we live in a really good neighborhood. It's quiet here, everyone takes care of their lawn, keeps up their homes, and is friendly. Most of the residents are really old, and we're like 300 feet from a church and a grade school.

Our neighborhood gets a bad rap because (gasp) black people live here in the majority. But who cares? I'm proud to live in a multi-cultural community. Statistics have proven again and again that it is POVERTY that causes most criminal activity, and not race. It just so happens that more minorities are poor than whites, so they commit most of the crimes. Look at what happened in Tinley, less than 5 miles from where Tom grew up? That's a really high income area, and most people can't afford to live there. It also has one of the best school systems in the country-- oh, and 5 people were killed there last week. Crime can be random. And that's what it was here.

I've checked the police blotter and nothing is up yet but some suspended licenses and retail theft, so I have no idea who was being chased or why. Last week I saw a domestic dispute and an assault arrest as well, but those things happen everywhere. Whatever. I'll post the link if I can find it.

But THANK YOU to the Matteson Police Force for keeping my family safe, and being vigilant when necessary.

I've taken a few pics of the bad guy's footprints in the snow. There's police tracks everywhere too, but these are his. Here they are.






Thursday, February 7, 2008

Forts, Sock Monkeys, and Turtles

Finn has reached an age where he likes tight spaces. I believe this is the beginning of the 'fort' stage, and Tom is giddy. He squeezes in tight cracks whenever available and hides under and behind things all day long. It's quite funny. Here he has realized he can fit into his toy basket.

And boy is he proud.

Here he is with his sock monkey attached to his neck, trying to wrestle his new Turtle from it. The turtle is from friends who bought it for him in the Virgin Islands.

I didn't know biting was allowed! anyhow, I think he's winning.



Little Irish Drunkard



He pirated that beer himself. Good thing it wasn't a twist off, or he'd have had more than teething slobber on his shirt.

Pink Elephants on Parade

I mean, pink Hippo in a sled. Finn did this all by himself, including putting the sled under the table.



Monday, February 4, 2008

Thundersnow

In case you haven't heard of this term, it is real. For those of you who don't live in Chicago, and didn't experience this last weekend, it is just like it sounds. There is lightning (though the sound of the thunder is deadened by the snow) and snow at the same time. It is one of nature's most bizarre spectacles and we saw it last night on our way home from Cecil and Sarah's place.

It's still supposed to be thundersnowing outside, but instead it is warm, with about two feet of wet soggy snow, and so foggy you can only see about 10 feet in front of you. It's so bizarre. Only in Chicago, I tell you.

Anyhow, we didn't get a chance to take Finn sledding this weekend, so since it warm out today I thought I'd try. He was not amused.

He didn't like his snowsuit.

He didn't like his sled.

He didn't like the snow.

He didn't care about the dogs (who were THRILLED to have company in the backyard)

He didn't like his boots.

He didn't like watching Murrey chasing snowballs.

And he just wanted to go in.

He just cried and cried. I think we will try it again AFTER nap time once more when Daddy is here. Daddy is much more fun than mommy, and right now he's rather mad at mommy because she's not giving him milk during the day.

I'll document next time and hope for better results-- it worked with the swimming.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Super Baby!!!!

Tom taught Finn to fly!!





Dog-gone Delicious

Every now and again I catch Finn pulling the dog leashes out of the drawer handle (it's a hole), and the pooches go WILD. They seem to be learning, though, that he isn't going to walk them.

Instead he goes over to their pillow in the corner and sits and eats the clasp for the leash. He's so weird.




More Bathtime Fun

Baby with a bubble goatee.

I'm gonna eat more bubbles. The ones in my mouth are gone already.


He reminds me of Sarah (triplet Sarah) in this pic, and not because he's going to drop the hammer, it's his squinty eyed look! This is a fave of mine! He looks hilarious!

Here you can see some splash-termath. He likes to splash.

This is sooooo fun!!! The look of pure joy!

WOW!

All those bubbles on his chin are from eating the bubbles. He likes to splash with the bottles and he likes for daddy to squirt him with them, too. Here he says, 'Daddy, squirt me again please.'

Here he is playing the yelling game with Daddy. It's a favorite.

If that isn't a mischevious look, I don't know what is.

OH! Daddy! I tried to eat the bubbles again and I got water in my nose! I'm scared! Save me!

It isn't better where it is wetter, take it from me.
At least not in your nose.

I love you Daddy! Thanks for making it all better!